You can get pregnant at any time during or just after your period if you have sex without using contraception. However, pregnancy can only occur if there is a sperm present in your uterus. A study shows that sperm can live for up to five days inside your uterus after having sex.
If you have sex toward the end of your period and you ovulate early, then this is guaranteed that you will get conceive. So you can use some methods of protection to prevent pregnancy. Read this article carefully to know more about how many days after the period is safe to avoid pregnancy and some ways to prevent pregnancy.
Understanding the process of ovulation
Ovulation is a process that occurs when a mature egg released from an ovary. The egg matures after a month and then released into the fallopian tube. After leaving the ovary, an egg is viable between 12 and 24 hours. As we told before, sperm can live for up to five days after having sex.
Then implantation of an egg occurs after fertilization. However, this process takes place 6 to 12 days after the ovulation. And If you have sex toward the end of your cycle and are approaching your fertile window, then you can get conceive immediately after your period.
Most of the studies show that the probability of getting pregnant before your period is low. The chance you will conceive is low if you are tracking ovulation and wait 36 to 48 hours after ovulation.
Your menstrual period will start, and the uterine lining will shed if pregnancy does not occur for some reason.
How to track your fertile window
Finding your fertile window is an efficient way to determine the optimal time of getting pregnant. Moreover, if you are deciding to prevent your pregnancy, then tracking your fertility window is one of the best options.
However, it can take several months of recording your monthly cycle to figure out your fertile window, but it is a reliable method for birth control. Below we are going to show you some ways of tracking your fertile window.
- Record the day when your menstrual period begins for 8 to 12 months and count the total number of days in that cycle. However, keep in mind that day one will be the first full flow day of your menstrual period.
- From your monthly tracking, pen down the shortest and longest number of days.
- If you want to track down the first day of your fertile window, then you have to subtract 18 days from the length of your shortest cycle.
- Now track down the last day of your fertile window by subtracting 11 from the length of your lengthy cycle.
- After doing all these calculations, the time between the longest and shortest day will be your fertile window. Therefore, you have to avoid having unprotected sex during this time if you are trying to prevent pregnancy.
Tools for tracking fertility window
There is a fertility app such as glow ovulation or clue period tracker that you can use to track your fertile window. Moreover, you can also mark the first day of your menstrual cycles in your day planner or on the calendar to track your menstrual cycle.
How effective is tracking your fertility window?
Knowing your fertility window is one of the best ways to avoid pregnancy if you have consistent cycles. But keep in mind that some factors like stress, diet or have exercise can affect the number of your cycle days. So your cycle can change each month due to these factors.
If you are looking to get pregnant, then tracking your ovulation is a more efficient way. Moreover, checking your ovulation can also help to avoid unwanted pregnancy and let you understand your body. Lastly, you can concern your doctor about the best birth control for you if you are serious about preventing pregnancy.
Benefits of fertility awareness
Fertility awareness is helpful to understand your fertility period and how contraceptives affect your menstrual cycle and ovulation. Moreover, it will also help you to determine the effects of contraception over other aspects of your health.
Awareness of your fertility period helps many couples to make better decisions about family planning. Below we are going to show you some effective methods of fertility awareness.
Some fertility awareness methods
Tracking your ovulation is another efficient fertility awareness method. Below we are going to show you some ways to track your ovulation.
1. Cervical mucus method:-
It is a fertility awareness method that depends on careful observation of mucus patterns during your menstrual cycle. Acknowledging the change in your cervical mucus will help you to determine when you are most likely to conceive.
However, you can also determine the best days of sex using this method. Moreover, the cervical mucus method can also help you to understand which days to avoid unprotected sex.
Sometimes you will notice an increase in cervical mucus close to ovulation because of estrogen levels surge during this time that results in your cervix producing more mucus. However, the mucus produced is clear, stretchy, and the consistency will be similar to egg whites.
If you notice an increase in the cervical mucus, then your body may be most fertile.
2. Ovulation predictor kits
You can buy an ovulation predictor kit if you are deciding to get pregnant. You can use your urine for a surge in the luteinizing hormone. However, before the ovulation, luteinizing hormone surges 24 to 48 hours. If you are trying to prevent pregnancy, then you have to avoid unprotected sex during this time.
As we know, sperm can live up to five days inside the uterus. So you have to avoid unprotected sex for five days to prevent pregnancy.
3. Basal body temperature
It is a temperature when your body is at full rest. It increases slightly during ovulation. However, you will need a basal temperature thermometer to track your basal body temperature. When you first wake up in the morning, record your temperature using a thermometer before getting out of bed.
Write it down on paper. During ovulation, your temperature will rise to about 0.3-degree celsius. This method is helpful to understand when ovulation will occur. Moreover, if you want to avoid pregnancy, then you have to wait for unprotected sex until a couple of days after the increase in temperature.
Forms of birth control
Several methods are efficient ways of contraception. Here we are going to show you some forms of contraception.
- Intrauterine devices
- Depo-Provera is a type of contraceptive injection that will help you to control your pregnancy.
- Birth control pills are the best way to birth control.
- Condoms are also an efficient way of birth control. Moreover, it will also protect you from sexually transmitted infections.
These options are 99% effective against your pregnancy.
Final thoughts
The bottom line is that it is not a guarantee that having unprotected sex during your period decreases the probability of your pregnancy. However, if you want to reduce your chances of getting pregnant, then tracking your ovulation and determining your fertile window is the most effective way.
Lastly, talking to your doctor is one of the best options if you are serious about preventing your pregnancy. So information given in this article will let you know how many days after the period is safe to avoid pregnancy.
